Nothing but Glitter
by SiennaBrown
Summary: Jackets and Glitter Sequel. Mabel is left to deal with the aftermath of the huge demon who came to Earth. She's also trying to cope with being alone. Things may not be in order as I'm going to be writing scenes as they appear in my head and not in story format like Jackets and Glitter was. Prepare for feels, seals, and automobiles.
1. Chapter 1

Mabel felt like she had been hit by a bus. She cracked an eyelid open, brain completely blank except for a mounting feeling like somebody had betrayed her. Aric's face swam into view. She blinked until it came into focus. He gave her a small smile.

"Glad to see you're awake."

"That makes one of us." She slowly sat up, accepting one of Aric's offered helping hands. He gently tugged her into some semblance of verticality.

"Seriously, you've been asleep for two whole days. I was getting worried."

Well, that explained the gnawing feeling in her stomach. She glanced at the refrigerator as her mouth filled with saliva. She blinked at it a few times. Aric caught the hint and stood to grab her a sandwich or something.

Memories flooded her frontal lobe, visions of fighting and carnage popping up so fiercely that she almost had to lay down again. That last thing she saw was Pacifica's face, apologetic and guilty.

"Where's Dipper?" A plate crashed to the floor across the room. She didn't bother to look over. Aric cursed and fussed for a few minutes, avoiding her question. She knew what that meant, but she didn't want to believe it. Icy fear dripped down the back of her throat and into her empty gut.

"She killed him."

Aric was silent for a while. Mabel clenched her hands into fists, glittery fingernails digging into her palms. She had trusted Pacifica. Dipper was all she had.

Now it was just her. And Aric. Wait….

"You didn't stop her."

"Mabel, there was nothing I could do."

"You're an elemental, Aric, there was plenty you could have done." Tears spilled over her cheeks. The brunette furiously wiped them away. Aric opened the fridge again, then his quiet footsteps padded over to the pile of blankets on the floor. Where Dipper had been staying before he died. She threw the blankets off, scrambling to get away, to go somewhere he hadn't lived. Everything smelled like the shampoo he used. Aric caught her arm, steadying her before she fell over backwards in her desperate scramble.

"Don't touch me!" Her voice cracked. Fat tears escaped her dripping hands and plopped onto the floor.

"I'm sorry, Mabel."

"No you're not! You let him-" A sob choked out the rest of her words. Another one kept her from trying to speak again. She just stood and cried, alone even though Aric was standing right next to her. Alone because her brother would never be able to comfort her again. Her chest felt like it was on fire. When she was reduced to nothing but hiccups and stale air, Mabel tried speaking again.

"Where is she?"

Aric shrugged. The brunette wiped her eyes with her wet sleeve.

"I know you know. Where is Pacifica?"

"See, I don't know. She left after the battle and I've been in this cave tending to you ever since. I was too weak after being _ripped in fucking half_ to be able to do anything about anything. If she hadn't been there, we would have all died."

"So you're saying that killing Dipper was the right choice."

"What the fuck, Mabel."

"You're saying that if she hadn't murdered my brother we would all be dead."

"To be entirely honest, yes. I don't know if there was a better option, we didn't really have time to look into it. But you're sad and upset, I get that. It's not my fault, though. There was literally nothing I could do."

She took the sandwich he was holding, and glared right into his buttery yellow eyes.

"Fuck you." A more rational part of her brain told her that she had been asleep for the whole thing and that it wasn't fair to blame Aric in place of herself. She angrily told herself to shut the fuck up.

"Mabel, please-"

"I don't want to hear it!" Her voice was cracking again. She had a death grip on the sandwich. Her guts twisted and roiled in agony. Aric curled into himself, his strong arms wrapping around his torso like he was expecting her to hurt him. She shook her head and backed away.

"I don't want to live in a world without my brother…" She turned and ran blindly from the room, bumping into the walls of the corridor that led to the outside world. Small cuts stung her skin as she sprinted into the night air. Breathing was hard. Staying vertical was hard. She tripped over a tree root and curled up on the ground, cradling the sandwich to her chest.

What was she supposed to do now?


	2. Chapter 2

Mabel stumbled through the woods, aiming for the Mystery Shack with every numb step. Maybe her Grunkle could help somehow. Not that she was going to raise Dipper from the dead. That just seemed like poor taste. She had thought about it, though. She thought about a lot of things while she was walking.

The brunette tripped up the wooden stairs and slammed the screen door open. The shack was empty. There was no one at the register, no one in the gift shop, and no one in the house at all. Maybe Grunkle Stan was dead, too. She couldn't process it. The teen looked at her hands. Small scrapes reminded her of her flight through the woods.

Pacifica's guilty face swam through her vision. Mabel closed her eyes and let the feeling of betrayal overwhelm her. Someone had to pay for Dipper's death. She wasn't content with saying, "oh, well, the demon is dead too, so it's fine now!" She knew that Pacifica was the reason her brother was dead. Despite Aric's argument, she couldn't forgive the witch so easily.

Shaking, Mabel tried to come up with a plan. Everything she thought of needed two people. She slammed her fists on the table, then gave up and went to her room to sleep. She had eaten a sandwich and wasn't hungry, but her brain just wasn't working.

After getting sidetracked in her brother's room for an hour of crying, she wound up falling asleep in a pile of his clothes. The teen woke up with a headache and a really bad idea. She solved her headache by drinking some water, then tried to fix the bad idea by scribbling some of it down into a stray notebook.

She didn't know much about magic. She needed to learn more about it somehow. She could root through Dipper's things in search of notes and scraps, but his journal was lost. The brunette scribbled a little more, hoping that she could rule out the only end that was possible. She spent all day trying to work around it.

Her only other options were too far away.

She even knew what cell he was in, even though he stopped writing to her years ago.

She sighed, throwing her pen across the room in exasperation. She had sworn she would never team up with Gideon. Aside from the fact that he was in jail, he had been pretty insufferable in her younger years. Now he seemed to be the only plausible teammate. Mabel retrieved her pen, then tried to start writing a letter.

 _Dear Gideon, you creepy gnashmonster-_ She scribbled that out and started over.

 _Dear Gideon,_

 _I know we've had our differences in the past, but my brother is dead would you help me exact revenge on the culprit?_

No, she was fairly certain that the guards read the inmate's mail before they got to it. She would have to be sneaky. Mabel kept at it until giving up and deciding on just sending him a normal letter of greeting.

 _Dear Gideon,_

 _I know I haven't sent you any messages. I know I told you to stop sending me mail in general, but I'm having a really tough time right now and you're the only person who might understand. Would it be weird to come visit?_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Mabel Pines_

Hopefully that would work out well.


	3. Chapter 3

Pacifica flinched at the knife that pressed against the skin of her neck, feeling warm blood drip down. She closed her blue eyes, not in acceptance of her fate, but so that she could see who was behind her.

"Wendy." The knife pulled away, and the world spun. She had been walking for weeks, time had lost all meaning. But she knew the woman behind her.

"Pacifica! Did you dye your hair? Wait, no, don't answer that. I know the answer is no." Wendy walked around to face the younger teen, offering a small smile.

"I didn't know you were a witch. You transitioned awfully young, didn't you- why are you crying?"

Pacifica felt her cheeks, the cascading wetness making her fingers drip. She shook her head, "I'm not really sure." She didn't know what to say. "I murdered my boyfriend," felt like it was too much information to tell someone she didn't know very well. "My boyfriend's sister wants to kill me," invited too much conversation. The ginger stuck with what she first said.

"Okay then… You want something to eat?"

Pacifica's stomach gurgled before she could properly decline the invitation. She pressed a hand to her throat, feeling the coagulating blood at her fingertips.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." She followed Wendy through the woods. The teen was totally lost. Totally and completely confounded by the trees that all looked the same. By the underbrush that snagged at her clothes.

Pacifica was so tired and hungry. She couldn't invite death, though. No matter how horrible she felt, the teen didn't want to die. So, she followed the ginger in front of her until a thought smacked her in the frontal lobe.

"How… How did you know I was a witch?"

Wendy turned around and smiled, "because I've been one since I was five. My hair grew in blonde, like yours, but some bad shit happened and my magic came out early to protect me. I've never been the type to use it, to be honest. I make potions, though. It feels a little more hands-on than wiggling my fingers and blinking in morse code to get a spell to work." She wiggled her fingers and blinked theatrically, then kept walking.

"If you want food, I'd suggest keeping up with me!"

Pacifica started forward once more. Her mother had told her that she was the only ginger witch of the century. How had she not known about Wendy? The teen bumped into the taller ginger, who had stopped suddenly.

"Here we are! My magic house, ha ha. Let me get the door for you-"

The younger witch felt her eyes widen in amazement. Wendy's house was the largest tree-house she had ever seen in her life. The main room was at the base of the tree, with some plants and a set of stairs that wound around the trunk in a spiral pattern. Bridges criss-crossed between the main tree and a few younger ones. Small rooms were built into the trunks.

She slowly walked towards the front door, eyes desperately trying to take in all of the information at once. Wendy just kept smiling.

"Did you build this place?" Pacifica just couldn't believe a house could hold such majesty.

"Sure did! I mean, I used some magic, but most of this was done with my own two hands. I'm pretty self-sufficient out here."

"I thought you were in college!"

Wendy ushered her inside while chuckling, then closed the door behind them and cast a quick spell of concealment. The teen then followed her up the steps.

"That's what my family tells everybody. The truth is that I wanted to be out in nature by myself and explore my magic where I wouldn't hurt anybody. It's been wonderful out here, honestly."

A stab of jealousy shot through Pacifica's chest, but only for a millisecond. She wished she could have had the support that Wendy had gotten, but she wasn't about to be terse with the other witch. It wasn't either of their faults, so there was no point in feeling angry about it.

The taller ginger sat her down at the first table they came to, then placed a plate of food in front of the teen. Mashed potatoes, rice, and warm chicken made Pacifica's mouth water. She kept her composure, though. There was no need to be rude while she was eating. Wendy sat down across from her and settled into her own plate of food.

Maybe she wouldn't have to run forever.

Maybe she could stay with Wendy and do what the older witch was doing.

Guilt swamped her. She set down her knife and fork. She had to leave. She didn't deserve such a nice home after everything that she had done.

"Is the chicken too dry?"

Pacifica jumped, "I, uh, excuse me?"

Wendy gestured towards the teen's half-eaten plate, "you stopped eating. Is everything alright?"

Pacifica met Wendy's green gaze, then sighed.

"I'll tell you about it if you promise not to hate me forever."

A hand gently patted her wrist.

"That sounds fair."


	4. Chapter 4

Gideon stared at the envelope in his hands. Mabel Pines's handwriting had gotten even prettier during the past few years. The shortness of the letter was perplexing, but he had heard about Dipper's disappearance. The silver haired teen shuffled past the other inmates, ignoring everyone in the immediate vicinity. They all knew to leave him alone when he got mail.

No, they wouldn't bother him. But the letter. He reread the address on the envelope. Fidgeted with the sealed flap. It had been five whole years and she hadn't contacted him until now. His parole meeting was in two weeks. There was a lot of stuff going on that he couldn't afford to be distracted from.

Should he wait to read the letter? Should he read it right away? He tucked it into his pocket. Mabel Pines was still dear to his heart, but she had snubbed him and he had more important things to do than pine.

Well, he could have a crush and do his work at the same time. But he wasn't going to read the letter right away. Lil' Gideon had grown up a lot during his time in prison, and his parole would bring about a lot of newspapers. His father was drumming up as much interest as he could.

The silver haired teen set about his routine once more, the letter from Mabel burning a hole in his pocket and his brain the whole two weeks.

Gideon waltzed out of his parole meeting free as a bird and light as a feather. He tried to keep a cheerful grin on his face for the cameras, but what he really wanted was to go home, eat some ice cream, and read Mabel's letter. He ducked into his father's car, waited until they pulled away from the curb and left the flashing lights behind, then tore the envelope out of his suit pocket and dug in.

Well, if she needed to talk to him, he would just go and meet her. He chewed his lip and reread the letter. Should he bring flowers? Chocolate? Would that creep her out? Ugh, there were so many damn questions rolling around his brain.

"Daddy, can we pop into a florist's or something real quick? And also, after that, can we pop by the mystery shack? I want to see Mabel."

His father glanced worriedly at him through the rearview, "are you sure about that, bucko? A lot of strange stuff has been happening around there lately."

Gideon frowned, "I know, but I'm going anyway. You don't have to stay."

Bud sighed, "Okay, Gideon. Florist then Mabel's house?"

"Yes, please."

Then he couldn't figure out what sort of bouquet to get for her. He wanted something along the lines of, "I'm sorry for your loss please keep in touch."

Maybe some Adonis, or Pheasant's Eye, to represent sorrowful remembrance. For Dipper. Not that Gideon was too sorrowful about his archrival being gone, but he had to at least pretend. He picked out a few sprigs of Alstromeria to represent his loyalty. To Mabel. He sighed, remembering how many letters he had written and then thrown away because she had asked him to cut contact.

Was he really going to run back to her, arms outstretched, welcoming her back into his life as though she had never asked to leave?

Yes. He was.

He asked the florist to add some baby's breath to the whole mess and wrap it in the nicest paper he had. The guy was super nice about it. Gideon let his father pay for the flowers, then they were back in the car and on their way to Mabel. He had made her wait far too long with no response.

The shack was twice as beat up as he was used to seeing it. Where was that detestable Stanley Pines? He nearly smacked himself in the face. Probably out looking for Dipper.

The silver haired teen trotted up to the door and smoothed his slightly messy hair out of his face. He had grown out of the bouffant, mostly because he had grown taller and it didn't suit his face anymore. He had to figure out something to keep it out of his eyes, though. Probably hairgel.

He heard his dad drive off, then knocked on the door a few times. Was he being intrusive? Footsteps sounded behind the wooden wall. Maybe he was being intrusive. The handle clattered and the hinges squeaked. He should have just answered her letter instead of visiting. The door creaked open, revealing the tired and thin face of the wonderfully tall Mabel Pines.

He smiled up at her and offered the bouquet.

"I didn't think you were going to answer my letter." Her delicate fingers wrapped around the offering. She sniffed a few of the blossoms.

Gideon gulped, "W-well, I was a bit busy when you sent it, so, I didn't really get a chance to read it until today. And, now that I'm out on parole and everything, I figured a visit was in order. Although, if you aren't up for it, I could just leave. It's not a big deal or anything."

She smiled a little, far more sadly than he ever expected. Her eyes pooled with tears.

"Mabel?"

"Dipper is dead, Gideon."

Shock made his mouth go dry.

"I thought he was just missing?"

The brunette shook her head, "He's dead. I know for certain."

The silver haired teen ran a few things through his head, "do you have any part of his body? Hair? Ashes? Anything? We could try to bring him ba-"

"We can't bring him back, Gideon. There's nothing left."

Well, shit.

"So, why did you write m asking for help?"

Her normally warm brown eyes turned hard. Anger made her knuckles turn white. Gideon raised his eyebrows in surprise. He knew she could have a temper, but she never looked as bloodthirsty as she did now.

He ignored the part of his brain that told him she was super hot. He knew that already. But she was upset and he was trying to respect her feelings.

"Pacifica Northwest murdered my brother. She's literally a witch and I want revenge."

Mabel's voice was filled with rage. Gideon could understand that. He put his hands in his pockets, adopting a somewhat casual stance.

"So, you need help tracking a witch. And, mayhaps, killing a witch."

The older teen nodded. Gideon shrugged.

"I guess I'll get started. I got a new cell phone. I mean, it's at home and all right now. May I have your number? It'll be easier to keep in touch that way."

His crush nodded, then disappeared inside the shack. From what he could see, it was a huge mess. Dirty dishes and candy wrappers littered the floor. dirty laundry and blankets covered all the furniture. Several pairs of shoes sat about the doorway. Mabel trotted back over, kicking things out of her way so she wouldn't trip. She was grasping a pen and a notebook. Gideon offered her a smile.

The taller teen wrote down a few digits, tore the page out of the notebook, and handed him her number.

"Thanks for asking me to help you, Mabel. I hope we can forge a proper friendship."

She smiled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Thanks for reading my letter."

They said their goodbyes, and Gideon walked back to his house. He would be fine with her friendship. He would rather be her friend than be her enemy. The silver haired teen smiled to himself as he walked.

He had a purpose. That was such a nice change of pace after prison.


	5. Chapter 5

"You killed Dipper Pines!?"

The young witch had been expecting that statement.

"I didn't want to, Wendy."

The lumberjack paced around her living room, sturdy black boots wearing a path into the thin rug that protected the hardwood floor. Pacifica had given up on following the older girl with her eyes. It had just made her dizzy. Finally, the older girl stopped walking. She turned her head to look straight into Pacifica's eyes.

"Mabel is going to kill you."

Pacifica blinked, "how do you know that?"

"You killed her twin brother, Paz!"

"Don't call me that."

"She may not be magical but that girl can and will hold a grudge! Dipper was one of the most important people in her life! The only way this could possibly be worse would be if Gideon gets out of prison."

Pacifica sunk into her chair.

"We have to train you more. You need to learn how limitless your powers are. And you're not going to be able to sense magic with your eyes closed forever. But, and here's the important thing," the ginger held a single finger up to emphasize the importance of her next statement.

"You need to rest and eat like a normal person, you dumb fuck."

The younger witch glared, "excuse you, I have been walking away from certain doom for a month!"

"Yeah, without eating and drinking! You might be one of the strongest witches of the known world but you sure are dumb! You can't perform good magic on an empty stomach and a withering brain. Food and rest are essential." The taller woman yanked the farthest door open.

"Now get up, I'm escorting you to your chambers where you will sleep for at least a week, so help me."

Pacifica rolled her eyes, but obeyed the order. The room Wendy gave her was sort of small, but it was close to the kitchen and the bed was comfy so she didn't complain. By the time her head hit the pillow, she was well and truly asleep.

 _Dipper stood in front of her, an orange glow rising up from under his feet. He wasn't facing her. He looked just as he had before everything went to shit. Tears pricked at her eyes as she took a tentative step forward. He stayed exactly where he was. Unmoving._

" _Dipper?" He didn't move. She took another step forward, then her foot started sinking into the ground. The orange glow got even brighter._

" _Dipper!" The blonde wildly reached for him. He slowly turned as the molten rock beneath her consumed her. His eyes were glowing the brightest aquamarine she had ever seen._

" _Have fun in hell, murderess." Tears leaked out of her face as everything faded to black._

* * *

Mabel stared blankly at Gideon from across the small café. He was typing hurriedly on his cell phone on one hand and flipping through a coded notebook with the other.

"D'you ever make up a code and then leave it for a few years and just can't understand a single thing you wrote?"

The brunette slurped loudly from her drink in response.

"Right, of course. Why would I even bother askin'."

She smiled a little at his thickening accent. Over the past few days, she noticed that his Southern Drawl always got worse when he wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. It was sort of cute. She stopped smiling. Gideon wasn't cute. He was a monster. And she was using him to find Pacifica.

That was it.

"Aha! This part says that parsnips can be used to track down a magical being whose element is earth. Is that helpful?" Mabel looked up from her drink and was struck by how hopeful Gideon looked. He had a nervous habit of running his hand through his hair, which had left his floppy hair in complete disarray. A hint of a smile kept his face bright. The brunette felt a sharp pain go through her chest.

He could be happy just being around her. And she was using him for revenge. She felt her smile droop. His shortly followed.

"She mainly used fire magic."

The silver haired teen stared at his notes.

"I'll just keep on… doin' this then."

Mabel blinked and stared into her drink. He was trying so hard and all she seemed to do was make him sad. She had to apologize or something.

"Thanks for your help, Gideon. It means so much to me."

He smiled and blushed and carried on for a bit before returning to decoding his notes from five years ago. It was slow going.

She had all the time in the world.


End file.
